"On the 26.11.1942 the SS-Kav.Rgt. 2 was dispatched to seal off the
breakthrough southwest of Belyi. Upon reaching Baturino after a forced
march, it received the mission to standby and await the orders of the
Division. Immediately dispatched reconnaissance from here revealed that
the enemy was already in Cholomedina with about 25 tanks and 300-400
men, which placed them in the rear of SS-Kav.Rgt. 1 and the deep flank
of the Division as a whole. SS-Obersturmbannführer Zehender realized
that this force posed a great danger to the Division itself (which was
still in the process of marching to the frontline) as well as the
execution of its assigned mission to seal off the breakthrough. Thus,
going against his existing orders, he attacked after midnight on his own
initiative with the support of 1 Batterie of light field guns and 1
Flak gun (8.8 cm). With the help of good moonlight, it was possible for
this force to eject the enemy from Cholomedina after a hard fight.
On the following day the enemy launched another attack with larger
numbers of forces, with the objective of recapturing Cholomedina and the
road that led through the town (which was of great importance as a
march and supply road for friendly motorized elements). Although his
Regiment sustained heavy losses in the ensuing combat,
SS-Obersturmbannführer Zehender managed to hold the attained line with
his men during both days of combat. This result, largely borne of the
commander’s own personal intervention and inspiring bravery in the front line, ultimately spelled the end for the enemy’s forward advance
and their plans to roll up the friendly front line (which would thereby
expand their penetration in the front line). Later on the 02.12.1942, through a combination of friendly
reconnaissance and prisoner statements, SS-Obersturmbannführer Zehender
was able to determine the existence of an imminent enemy attack from the
woods. He thus decided to launch a preemptive strike with his
subordinated Schi Bataillon on his own initiative. In the fighting which
followed he bypassed the enemy flank with a Kompanie and struck the
hostile supply network. This resulted in the destruction of several
field kitchens, supply dumps and vehicles carrying fuel and ammunition.
The Bataillon was encircled for 24 hours, however thanks to the
leadership and exemplary conduct of SS-Obersturmbannführer Zehender it
managed to break out of the enemy ring. As a result of this preemptive strike the enemy’s attack was called off.
It had been intended that this attack would finally break through the
thinly occupied friendly lines (caused by high losses) and reach the
important road.
Zehender thus had a significant share in the success of the overall
operation due to his Regiment’s capture of Cholomedina and its road as
well as the attack launched behind the enemy positions. These actions,
conducted on his own initiative, in turn contributed to the encirclement
and destruction of those enemy forces that had broken through southwest
of Belyi. SS-Obersturmbannführer Zehender is therefore particularly worthy of
being awarded the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross. He has particularly
distinguished himself through his decisiveness not only here, but also
in the campaigns in Poland, France, Serbia, Greece and the Soviet Union
in the year 1941. Zehender already is a bearer of the German Cross in Gold, and has been wounded a total of 3 times." from his Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross citation, awarded on 10 March 1943 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and commander of the SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 2.
"Was awarded the Oak Leaves for the bitter resistance his division
displayed in the 52 day long siege of Budapest, during which they
fought in the south part of the city. Zehender was killed shortly
afterwards in the attempted breakout from the city." from his Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves citation, awarded on 1 February 1945 as SS-Brigadeführer and commander of the 22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division "Maria Theresia."
Another enemy elite,
Brian & Mel
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